Process and apparatus for striping articles



March 15, 1932. F. LEIBOLD ET AL 1,349,529

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPING ARTICLES Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 15, 1932.

F. LEIBOLD ET AL PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPING ARTICLES Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Shee 2 March 15, 1932. F. LEIBOLD ET AL 1,849,529

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPING ARTICLES Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 15, 1932. F. LEIBOLD ET AL 1,349,529

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPING ARTICLES Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Shee 4 mum "HAHN: J; n w i 1 March 15, 1932. E|BQ| D ET AL 1,849,529

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPING ARTICLES Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- I'BEDEZRICK LEIBOLD, OF WEST NEW YORK, AND LEONARD Be GILLILAND, OI JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOBS TO AMERICAN LEAD PENCIL GOIPANY, 01' NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR STBIPING- ARTICLE Application filed August 18, 1928. Serial ll'o. 300,572.

This invention relates to process and apparatus for striping articles of rodlike shape, and more particularly pencils and the like objects. The invention has been satisfac- 5 torily carried out in applying spaced longitudinal stripes to pencils, wherein the stripes present an alternate color scheme; and more particularly in connection with hexagonal pencils. I

In striping pencils, it is the custom to produce alternate color schemes by alternating the desired colors on the various faces or por-' tions of the pencil, by employing two colors or a greater number if desired. Heretofore, this process has been laborious and attended with numerous diificulties. It will be understood that the stripes placed upon the pencil are applied by a suitable coloring, which must afterwards be dried, and in the practice heretofore employed this has presented a great difiiculty due to the fact that when stripes of different colors are employed, it is diflicult to handle the pencils between the various striping operations in a satisfactory manner 25 to prevent one color from running or being smeared on to the other, since the stripes of different colors must be placed on the pencil at different time intervals. There are various other difliculties which have presented themselves, which will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

An object of the invention is the concentration of the operations into the least possible number of steps commensurate with satisfactory results, which. will constitute a rapid and certain method of operation and to concentrate or consolidate the mechanisms of the apparatus into the least possible number with the least resultant number of parts and the highest possible rate of production.

Other objects of the invention are to overcome the disadvantages above enumerated and still others, the attainment of the manifold advantages which will appear in the process of acquiring the full understanding of the invention which it is the purport of this specification to give.

The method conslsts in placing the individual stripes successively upon the pencils in a continuous series in a cyclical operation comprising feeding the pencils in such series past a plurality o striping stations in a direction longitudinal of the encils, interruptmg the longitudinal feed 0 the pencils after each successive striping station for a predetermmed drying period, and successively feeding the pencils thus dried to a succeeding striping station, and during such feeding period rotating the pencils throu h an angle corresponding to the spacing o the stripes, and continuing the cycle of operation until the pencil has been successively striped, dr ed, rotated, striped, etc. During the longitudinal feed of the pencils, certain of the pencils in the series are fed by means of succeeding pencils in the series which are being operated upon by the striping means. During the eriod in which successive pencils are being dried, their place in the series is taken by pencils which have been previously striped and dried.

While the apparatus of the invention is intimately related to the method, nevertheless it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the method can be carried on by apparatus differing from the specific embodiment herein disclosed by way of example. The striping and feeding of the pencils are carried out in large part by common elements to effect the joint operations, and the feeding simultaneously takes lace with the striping of a given pencil and i urther acts to progressively feed the preceding pencil in the cycle of operation. Likewise the means for rotating the pencils through the'desired angularity comprise means for guiding the pencil to the succeeding striping mechanism. The various striping mechanismsfto' efiect this result, are arranged in substantial axial alignment, substantially coinciding with the axes of the articles to be striped. The means for drying the pencils subsequent to successive striping operations comprises conveyor mechanism for moving the pencils in a direction transverse to the axial feed of the pencils.

The invention consists in the method herein described and in the novel features, arrangement, construction and combination of parts of the apparatus and means hereinafter described, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments thereof, and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompan ing drawings illustrate the present preferre embodiment of the invention, there bein other modificatlons in contemplation; an as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art other modifications might be found desirable aftera clear understanding of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating by way of example, the present preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine, the feed end of the machine lying at the left of the figure,

Fig. 2 is a side elevatlon of the machine shown in Fig. 1,

Fi 3 is a sectional elevation taken at 33 of Flg. 2, with the parts shown in a scale lar r than that of Fig. 2,

ig. 4 is a plan view of one of the feeding stations, on t e enlarged scale employed in ig. 5 is a sectional elevation at 5-5 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation at 6-6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view at 77 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a detail shown in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 9 is an elevation taken at 99 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings (Fig. 1) The machine is mounted on a suitable foundation such for example as the bed 1, supported by suitable standards such as 2. A power shaft 3 (Fig. 2) is supported from the bed 1 by suitable means such as the journals 4. The power shaft 3 is supplied with power delivered to pulley 5 through the belt 6; and the source of power is adapted to be operatively connected to the shaft 3 by suitable means, such as the cone clutch 7. The cone clutch 7 is controlled through suitable link mechanism 8 attached to the control rod 9, which preferably extends the full length of the machine in order that the machine may be readily started or stopped by an operator at any portion thereof. The line shaft 3 carries a beveled gear 10 attached thereto and in driving mesh with another gear 11 attached to the shaft 12, which is supported in suitable journals such as 13, and the shaft 12 carries a cam 14 in operative engagement with a cam roller 15 rigidly attached to a reciprocable feed arm 16. The feed arm 16 is pivotally connected to a feed plunger 17 which is reciprocable thereby along the upper surface of feed block 18 A suitable feed hopper 19 is supported from the block 18 and in the present embodiment is in the form of a feed hopper adapted for containing and feeding pencils in successive vertical series, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The usual means for agitating the pencils in the upper part of the hopper to arrange them in proper parallel series to be fed successively is illustrated as comprising a reciprocating itator arm 20 connected by suitable link mec anism designated as 21 to be operated from the power shaft 3. The block 18 is supported on a table 22 which is in turn supported from the bed 1 by an upright 23.

The mechanism for striping the pencils at this stage, which will be designated as A, is similar in all respects to that at each of the other stages, B and C, and hence the main elements only will be referred to, and further details will appear from the description of stage B in connection with the more complete showing in the detail figures of stage B.

A coating or striping wheel 24 is supported from table 22, positively rotated about its axis, and positioned substantially tangent to a feed groove formed in guide block 25 which is in register with a groove formed in block 18 beneath hopper 19; so that pencils fed forward by plunger 17 will pass onto wheel 24. Wheel 24 has its lower sector immersed in a suitable coating material, of desired color, carried in a cup 26 which is supported from stud 27 depending from table 22; and the cup 26 is vertically adjustable. A power driven roll 28 is positioned above the power driven wheel 24 and is spring pressed toward the wheel 24. It will therefore be seen that as a pencil is fed forward initially by plunger 17, it will pass between roll 28 and wheel 24, being frictionally engaged thereby and fed forward, while at the same time having a stripe of coating material applied to its lower portion, which is in rolling contact with the wheel 24 whose periphery carries the coating fluid.

Adjacent the ejection side of the roll 28 and wheel 24 is positioned conveying and drying means comprising as a main element a drum 29 fixed to a shaft 30 supported for rotation in suitable journals designated as 31 mounted on the bed 1. This drum is identi- Gal with the drum at stage B, in connection with which the details of construction will be later described. In general the drum is provided with grooves on its periphery extending axially and these grooves are brought into successive register with the groove in guide block 25. A belt 32 surrounds the drum 29 and serves to hold the pencils therein (see Fig. 3). Attached adjacent the sides of the drum 29 (Fig. 2) are positioning and aligning rails 33, 34 and 35 for effecting the desired predetermined alignment of the pencils on the conveyor drum 29, for the purposes to be more fully described hereinafter. A suitable flexible guide..36 (Fig. 1) is attached to a suitable rigid part of the machine and extends over the uppermost part of the drum 29, serving ISO the purpose of ca-usim thepencils ejected from the r0ller28 and wheel 24 to be properly positioned in the grooves provided in the drum 29. This arm as shown is broken oflf in order to more clearly show adjacent parts of the structure at stage B, the arm 36 being attached to the supporting table of stage B.

The mechanism at sta e B will now be described in detail. The taile of stage B is designated as 37 and is suitably supported by an upright 38 in a manner described in connection with stage A. A suitable journal bracket 39 is attached to the top of table 37 and is provided with two bearing portions, on one of which is supported a shaft 40, (Figs. 2, 4 and 9) to one end of which is attached a ratchet wheel 41 and to the other end of which is attached a gear 42. The ratchet wheel 41 in the present embodiment (for hexagonal pencils) is provided with 12 teeth, so that the space between respectively adjacent teeth represents an angular distance of Pivotally supported on shaft 40 adjacent the outside of ratchet wheel 41 is an oscillatable arm 42, to the outer end of which is attached a freely pivoted ratchet pawl 43 normally urged downwardly by the force of gravity. The pawl 43 is adapted to be oscillated by a pawl rod 44 pivotally-attached to the pawl arm 42 at one end, and at its other end being attached to an eccentric ring 45, cooperatively engaging an eccentric 46 rigidly connected to the power shaft 3. The gear 42 carried on the opposite end of the shaft 40, from that carrying the ratchet wheel 39, is in driving engagement with a pinion gear 47 rigidly attached to the mandrel (Fig. 5) 48. This mandrel 48 is provided with a bore 49 having a diameter throughout the major portion of its length of suflicient size to allow the free movement of a pencil therein, and being restricted at its outlet end 50 to a size substantially of the same confi ration and diameter as the article being striped. In the present embodiment the machine is adapted to operate upon hexagonal pencils, and hence the outlet 50 is of hexagonal formation slightly larger in cross section area than the cross section area of the pencil being operated upon. The pencil is therefore free to be passed through the outlet 50 axially, but relative rotation between the pencil and the mandrel 48 is prohibited when the pencil is positioned in the outlet 50. The gear ratio between the gears 42 and 47 is 2:1, and

the formation of the eccentric is such that the pawl 43 rotates the ratchet Wheel 41 two teeth or through an angle of 60; hence upon each reciprocation of the pawl 43 the mandrel 48 is rotated 120. It will therefore be seen that the pencil positioned as shown in Fig. 5 will be rotated 120 on each forward oscillation of the pawl 43, and accordingly the pencil will be moved (Fig. 7) to the third face from the position shown on the top of the mandrel 48. This particular movement in the present embodiment is utilized in connection with a pencil which is coated with a base coat of one color and on which alternate stripes are placed on alternate faces of the pencil of a different color, and hence only every other face of the pencil is striped in the present-embodiment. It will be understood that if it is desired to place sequential stripes on every succeeding face of the pencil that the eccentric 46 will be adapted to oscillate the pawl 43 the distance of only one tooth.

A guide block 51 for hexagonal pencils- (identical with the block 25 of stage A) is supported from an upright arm 52 (Fig. 8) attached to the table 37, and this block is provided with a recess 53 in register with the outlet of the mandrel 48. The recess 53 is substantially semi-circular in cross section adjacent the outlet 50 and is provided adjacent its other end 54 with two opposed downwardly convergent inclines conforming to the corresponding faces of the pencil, such as the hexagonal sides of the pencil, thereby providing a means for guiding the pencil in its correct position. A spring pressed plate 55 is supported from arm 52 and serves to exert a slight force downwardly to maintain the pencil in its correct position in the guides formed in the outlet end 54, from which the pencil passes directly between the friction roll 56 and the coating wheel 57 (Figs. 1 and 3) (the roll 56 and wheel 57 corresponding to the equivalent members 28 and 24 of stage A). The details of construction and mounting of these wheels will now be more particularly described.

The coating wheel 57 (Fig. 3) is mounted on a spindle 58 journaled in adjustable conical end bearings 59 and 60 supported from the table 37. The face of wheel 57 is of substantially the same width as the face, such as the hexagonal face of the pencil to be treated, or of substantially the same width as the stripe to be applied. The wheel 57 is so positioned that its lower sector is submerged in a coating fluid contained in the pan 61 which is held by a finger bracket 62 carried by the slide nut 63 which slidably engages the stud 64 and to which it is adapted to be clamped in suitable vertical position by means of the win nut 65. The wheel 56 is provided with a suita le frictional periphery formed of rubber or other suitable yieldable composition, and the wheel is mounted on a shaft 66 journaled in a block.

67 slidably seated in a support 68. The block 67 is pressed downwardly by the resilient action of a helical compression spring 69 whose upper endis restricted by the horizontal member 70, and provision is made for adjusting the tension of the spring 69 by means of the stud 71 and nut 72. To provide for the slight up and down movement of the roll 56, permitted by the spring 69, the outer end of the shaft 66 is provided with a fairly loose fit in its bearing, or any other suitable wellknown mechanical means for permitting this up and down motion of roll 56. A spur gear 73 is attached to the shaft 66, adapted to be driven thereby, and is in driving engagement with a spur ear 74 which is attached to the spindle 58. it will therefore be seen that the roll 56 and the wheel 57 are both driven from the shaft 66, in a direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, to thereby feed the pencil outwardly from the plane of said figure. The outer end 54 of the block 51 is slotted as shown in Fig. 8 permitting the lower face of the pencil to come into engagement with wheel 57, and the roll 56 and wheel 57 are adapted to receive the pencil fed through block 51.

The shaft 66 (Fig. 3) carries attached thereto a sprocket 75 which is driven by a chain 76 which receives its power from the shaft of stage A corresponding to the shaft 66, and this shaft in turn is driven by a chain 77 (Fig. 2) which is geared to shaft 12 by means of the sprocket 78. The shaft 66 (Fig.

3) also carries attached thereto a sprocket 79 which carries a chain 80 which in turn is geared in driving connection to the shaft of stage C corresponding to the shaft 66 of stage B.

Adjacent the outlet side of stage B is positioned a conveying and feeding drum 81, similar in all respects to the corresponding drum 29 of stage A. This drum will now be more particularly described in detail, with particular reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 5. In the present embodiment, the drum is provided with two spider wheels 8282 whose peripheries are formed with a plurality of teeth 83, the teeth of the two spiders being in alignment axially of said drum. These t-etl. are provided with holes in which are pivotally supported spacing rods 84 (Figs. 4 and 5). The bars 84 are in parallel alignment extending axially of the axis of the drum and provide spaced recesses for accommodating a pencil such as P. The spacing of the rods 84 peripherally of the drum is such that adjacent rods are tangent to the lower converging faces of the pencils P. It will therefor-e be seen that the lower faces of the pencils P are free from contact with any part of the drum, and therefore when freshly coated, such as by striping with the wheel 57, the freshly coated surface is free from contact with any portion of the drum. The diameter of the drum is sufficient to allow for drying of the coating during the intermittent rotation of the drum through one revolution. The recesses formed in the drum between the bars 84 are positioned to be brought into axial alignment with the pencil P, which is being fed forward by roll 56 and wheel 57 during any interval of rest of the drum 81. The drum 81 is suitably fastened to shaft 30 (Fig. 1) which carries corresponding drum members of adjacent stations A,

B and C; and the shaft 30 is adapted to be rotated by means of a ratchet wheel 85 (Figs. 2 and 3) which is attached to shaft 30 and which is adapted to be engaged by the ratchet pawl 86 pivotally supported on a pawl arm 87 freely pivoted on shaft 30, the pawl 86 being held downwardly by the helical tension spring 88. The pawl arm 87 and pawl 86 are reciprocated by a pawl rod 89 which carries an eccentric strap 90 in operative engagement with an eccentric 91 carried on the power shaft 3. The ratchet 85 carries teeth corresponding in number to the number of recesses formed between respectively adjacent bars 84. It will therefore be seen that upon each reciprocation of the pawl 86 the drum 81 will be rotated a fraction of a revolution equal to the angular distance between respectively adjacent recesses upon the drum; and hence when the drum carries pencils they will be successively positioned respectively in axial alignment of the feed of the pencils. A spindle 92 (Figs. 2 and 4). is rigidly attached to the member 70 supported from the table 37 and carries at its outer end an idle pulley 93, over which passes a belt 94 which encircles the drum 81. The belt 94 serves to maintain the pencils within their respective recesses in the drum 81 during the rotation of the drum. The uppermost pencils on the drum 81 are maintained in position by gravity and hence it is not necessary that the belt come into contact with such pencils at this point of the drum. A cam rail 95 (Figs. 2 and 4) is ositioned adjacent the left hand side 0 the drum 81 and is adapted to guide the pencils, during the rotation of the drum as indicated by the arrow in Figs. 2 and 4, so that they will be moved successively along the drum in the direction of feed while the drum is rotating and will be properly spaced centrally of the drum. A guide rail 96 is positioned on the opposite side of the drum and serves a similar purpose, such guide rail being flared outwardly away from the drum to catch any pencils which by any chance overfeed the drum and return them back to their proper central position on the drum. A guide rail 97 is positioned on the same side of the drum, but on the opposite side of the axis from the rail 96, and serves to successively move the pencils in a direction opposite to the normal axial feed thereof; the function of the guide rail 97 being to place the pencils successively in substantial end to end relation with the preceding pencil in stage C (Figs. 4 and 5).

The mechanism of stage C is identical in all respects to that of stage B, and therefore a repetition of the details of thisstage is not deemed necessary and will therefore be omitted for purposes of brevity. In such cases where it becomes necessary in describing the cycle of operation to refer to the mechanism of stage C, and to the corresponding conveying and drying drum associated therewith, the parts will be referred to by the correspondlng numerals employed in describing stage B and related mechanism with the prime suflix added to such numerals. For example the drum following stage C will be designated as 81', etc.

The ejection end of the machine, following stage C, is provided with means for ejecting the pencils in substantiall parallel relation. A horizontally reciprocab e ejection table 98 is positioned in alignment with the lower faces of the pencils being fed from drum 81', and such table is reciprocable by means of the eccentric rod 99 carrying an eccentric strap 100 which is in operative engagement with the eccentric 101 attached to power shaft 3; the connection of the parts being such that the table 98 reciprocates horizontally upon each intermittent step of movement of the drums 29, 81 and 81'. A yoke 102 is mounted with one face in substantial alignment with the side of the pencil being ejected, therefore serving to cause said pencil to fall over the edge of ejection table 98 upon the reciprocation of said table. When the pencil is thus wiped from the table 98, it falls into a hopper 103 (Fig. 2), falling into substantial parallel alignment with the pencils previously ejected, to thereby insure an orderly arrangement of the pencils in ejection hopper 103. The end of the shaft adjacent the ejection end of the machine carries attached thereto a friction pulley 104, over which passes a friction belt 105 attached at one end to a suitable portion of the machine, and carrying at its other end suitable weights 106; the purpose of this friction brake arrangement being to brake the movement of the shaft 30 to provide for stopping the same after each intermittent impulse of rotation delivered thereto by the driving pawl 86 (Fig. r

The timing of the various parts of the mechanisms will be better understood from the following description of the operation of the machine, and hence no detailed description of such timing will be entered into at this time. For purposes of better understanding the following description of the operation, however, it might be advisable to briefly point out (referring to Figs. 1 and 2) that at the time the feed plunger 17 moves forward the feed rolls 28, 56 and 56 and the corresponding coating wheels at the respective stations simultaneously rotate, at which time the drums 29, 81 and 81 are stationary and the rotating positioning mechanism operatmotion are stationary, and the parts above described as being stationary are in motion.

. Operation The hopper 19 is filled with pencils to be str ped,'and in the present embodiment, since in 1ts present operation the machine is adapted to stripe alternate faces of the pencils only, the pencils have first been coated with a suitable base coat. The paint cups 26, 61 and 61' are filled with the desired coating fluid and are adjusted in the proper position to engage the respective coating. wheels 25, 57 and 57, with the fluid carried in the respective cups. The control rod 9 is moved to the right to connect the machine to the power belt 6. In case the machine prior to its starting is not in pro er position for the pencils to immediately fed forward by the plunger 17 provision is made for pos1- tioning the machine by hand through control wheel 104 (Fig. 1) such wheel also being utilized if found desirable in starting the operation of the machine at the time the power is applied. The plunger 17 now moves forward feeding the pencil from the base of hopper 19 into the guide block 25, and thence between the roll 28 and the coating wheel 24, the roll 28 being yieldable upwardly as above described to thereby cause the roll 28 and wheel 24 to frictionally engage opposite faces of the pencil. The roll 28 and wheel 24 are at this period under rotation power being supplied thereto by the chain 7 The pencil is therefore fed forward in this manner, and at the same time the coating fluid from pan 26 is supplied to the bottom face of the pencil, by the operation of the wheel 24. The pencil is fed into the corresponding aligned roove of the drum 29 into which it is ided y the guide 36. The feed plunger 1 at this time has moved back to engage the first succeeding pencil in the hopper 19 and the drum 29 is moved one step forward, in a direction transverse to the axial feed of the pencils. The plunger 17 again moves forward to feed the next pencil which undergoes the above described operation resulting in a stripe being placed on the bottom face of the pencil, and the pencil is in turn deposited in the succeeding recess of the drum. This is continued until the first pencil treated reaches the position immediately behind the axial feed of the pencils. It will therefore be seen that the first pencil striped, in the series of pencils on the drum, has moved around during a predetermined interval in order to allow the coating forming the stripe on the pencil to become sufficiently dry. When the first pencil thus treated comes into axial feed alignment, the next succeeding pencil passing through stage A comes into end to end engagement with said pencil on the drum 29 and feeds the pencil from the drum into mandrel where the pencil at the forward end of the mandrel 40 (Fig. passes into the outlet end 50. At this time, and while the drum 29 is receiving one impulse of rotation, the rod 44 is operated from power shaft 3 to rotate mandrel 40 120, thereby rotating the pencil in mandrel 48 to place the third face of the pencil (counting from the first face previously striped) in alignment with the top face of the coating wheel 57. For the next reciprocation of plunger 17 the pencil is fed forward from mandrel 48, by the next succeeding encil, and the roll 56 and wheel 57 engage t e pencil thus fed forward to impart thereto an independent feeding motion while applying the second stripe. The resilient plate (Fig. 8) serves to align the pencil properly in the end 54 of feed block 51 during the movement of the pencil from the mandrel to the wheel 57. From wheel 57 the pencil is fed into the corresponding recess in drum 81, being supporting by the correspondingly adjacent rods 84 (Fig. 5) in the manner heretofore described. This operation continues until the drum 81 is filled with pencils, in a similar manner to that above described in connection with stage A; after which the pencils are successively fed from drum 81 to stage C, after having been retained in drum 81 a suflicient period for drying purposes. The pencils are similarly fed through stage C and the third stripe is applied, and the pencils are fed on to drum 81 in a manner above pointed out. From drum 81 the pencils are fed successively on to ejector table 98 by the pencils immediately succeeding. The feed table 98 is reciprocated as above described resulting in a relative motion with respect to yoke 102, which causes the pencils to fall from the end of the ejector table 98 into the hopper 103 in substantial parallel relation with the pencils previously ejected.

It will therefore be seen that in the cycle of operation the pencils are successively fed forward in successive axial series. during which time successive stripes are placed on the pencils, and after each striping operation the pencils are removed from the axial series and are moved in a direction transverse thereto during a predetermined drying period. After such drying period the pencils are passed into the following stage, where they receive a rotation about their respective axes and corresponding to the distance between stripes; after which they are passed through the next stage to receive a subsequent stripe, and so on. until the desired number of stripes have been placed on the pencil. It will be understood that instead of rotating the pencils through 120 to coat every other face of the pencil. the pencils may be rotated only through 60 in order to place a stripe on each succeeding face of the pencil, if hexagonal; while, if octagonal, or round, or square, then through asuitable angle for the desired result. The only adjustment necessary to accomplish this succeeding stri ing is to replace the gears 42 and 47 (Fig. 9? with gears having a 1: 1; or other suitable ratio for the desired result, as will be well understood by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, by adjusting the throw of pawl 43, in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art, stripes of any desired width may be applied; in which case of course it will be desirable to provide coating wheels such as 57, whose thickness corresponds to the width of the stripe to be applied, and if the pencil faces are other than flat, then of course the wheel peripheries will vary accordingly.

While the resent embodiment of the invention has been described in connection with striping hexagonal pencils, it is to be understood that the invention may also be applied to striping circular pencils, or pencils of any other configuration, all of which will be Well understood by those skilled in the art, after comprehending the present invention.

In the appended claims, the term pencil shall be understood as generically comprehending an ordinary pencil as well as any elongated object simulating a pencil in configuration.

Having thus described our invention with particularity with reference to the preferred method of carrying out the same and in connection with the preferred a paratus for "carrying out the same, it will e obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding our invention, that other changes and modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention, and we aim in the appended claims to cover such changes and modifications as are within the scope of the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A machine for coating pencils or the like comprising in combination a plurality of stations, apparatus at each station comprising means for advancing the pencils longitudinally in continuous succession and simultaneously applying a longitudinally extending stripe of the coating material thereto, and means for receiving and retaining the pencils when thus advanced for a predetermined drying period and for conveying the pencils to the next succeeding station.

2. A machine for coating pencils or the like comprising in combination a plurality of stations, apparatus at each station comprising means for advancing the pencils longitudinally and simultaneously applying a longitudinally extending stripe of the coating material thereto, and means for receiving and retaining the pencils when thus advanced for a predetermined drying period and for conveying the pencils to the next succeeding station, certain of said stations having means for shifting the position of the pencils on their axes through angles corresponding to a desired spacing or spacings of the longitudinal stripes.

3. In a machine for coating pencils or the like, the combination of means for imparting intermittent longitudinal motion to a progressive series of pencils in axial alignment and simultaneously applying individual stripes to certain of said pencils, means alternating with said intermittent motion for simultaneously rotating certain of said other pencils about their respective axes, and means operable simultaneously with said last means for removing certain other of said pencils from said axially aligned series and retaining them removed therefrom during a predetermined drying period, and simultaneously replacing said removed pencils with other pencils.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a plurality of coating means for coating penclls and feeding them axially, a plurality of conveyor means posi-- tioned respectively adjacent said coating means for moving said pencils transverse to their axial feed, and means for initiating the feed of successive pencils to the first of said coating means, said first coating means being adapted to feed said pencils successively to its respectively adjacent conveyor means and thereby to feed a previously coated pencil from said conveyor means to another of said coating means, and said other coating means being adapted to feed said pencils successively to its respectively ad acent conveyor means.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a plurality of coating means for coating pencils and feeding them axially, a plurality of conveyor means positioned respectively adjacent said coating means for moving said pencils transverse to their axial feed, means for initiating the feed of successive pencils to the first of said coating means, said first coating means being adapted to feed said pencils successively to its respectively adjacent conveyor means and thereby to feed a previously coated pencll from said conveyor means to another of said coating means, and said other coating means being adapted to feed said pencils successively to its respectively adjacent conveyor means, and rotating means for rotating successive pencils delivered from one of said conveyor means in advance of one of said coating means, to thereby coat said pencils with individual stripes.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a series of coating means for individually striping pencils and feeding them axially along a common axis, a series of endless conveyors alternating with said coating means for moving said pencils in a direction transverse to said axial feed, said conveyors being positioned respectively to receive pencils from said coating means, and means respectively for rotating said pencils a predetermined angular distance during their passage between said respective conveyors and coating means.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for individually striping and moving forward a series of pencils in axial alignment, means for moving said striped pencils out of said axiall aligned series and replacing the same with previously striped pencils, and means for rotating said previously striped pencils while in said axial alignment.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for simultaneously individually striping and moving forward a series of pencils in axial alignment, means for moving said striped pencils out of said axially aligned series and replacing the same with previously striped pencils, and means for rotating said previously striped pencils while in said axial alignment.

9. In amachine of the character described, the combination of means for individually striping and moving froward certain pencils of a series of pencils in axial alignment, means for rotating respectively preceding adjacent pencils of said series, and means for moving said striped pencils out of said axially aligned series and replacing the same with previously striped pencils.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for individually striping and moving forward certain pencils of a series of pencils in axial alignment, means for rotating respectively preceding adjacent pencils of said series, and means for moving said striped pencils out of said axially aligned series and drying the same and replacing the same with previously striped dried pencils.

11. In a machine of the character de- 110 scribed, the combination of a plurality of pencil striping means, means for simultane- 011sly operating said striping means, a plurality of conveyor means for carrying respective series of pencils individually supported thereon with one pencil of each series in register respectively with said striping means, and means for intermittently moving said conveyor means simultaneously to move the pencils of said respective series of pencils carried thereby individually successively into alignment with said striping means.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for supporting a series of pencils in relative axial alignment and mechanism for progressively striping a pencil of said series with a plurality of stripes, said mechanism comprising a first striping means, drying and conveying means, positioning means for rotating said pencil into position for a second stripe, and a second striping means for placing a second stripe on said pencil.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for supporting a series of pencils in relative axial alignment, and mechanism for progressively striping a pencil of said series with a plurality of stripes, said mechanism comprising a first striping means, drying and conveying means, positioning means in axial ali ment with said pencil series for receiving said pencil from said drying and conveying means and rotating said pencil into position for a second stripe, and a second striping means for placin a second stripe on said pencil.

14. n a machine of the character described, the combination of means for supporting a series of pencils in relative axial alignment, and mechanism for progressively striping a pencil of said series with a plurality of stripes, said mechanism comprising a first striping means, drying and conveying means, positioning means for rotating said pencil into osition for a second stripe, and a second striping means for placing a second stripe on said pencil, said first striping means serving to feed said pencil to said drying and conveying means and from said latter means to said second striping means.

15. Method of applying spaced longitudinally extending stripes to pencils or like objects, which comprises advancing the pencils in continuous succession through a series of stations, applying the striping material at each station by means having rolling engagement with the pencils during their advance, retaining the pencils between stations during a predetermined drying period and then delivering the pencils to the succeeding station and rotating the pencils through a predetermined angle corresponding to the desired spacing o the stripes.

16. Method of applying spaced longitudinally extending stripes to pencils or like objects, which comprises feeding the pencils in a successive series longitudinally while applying a first stripe, interrupting the longitudinal feed of each successive pencil during a predetermined drying period while continuing the striping of succeeding pencils, successively rotating said pencils about their respective axes through a predetermined angle corresponding to the desired spacing of said stripes, and advancing said pencils longitudinally while applying a second stripe thereto.

17. Method of applying spaced longitudinal stripes to pencils or like objects, which comprises advancing the pencils in continuous succession, first longitudinally while applying a first stripe, then laterally during a predetermined drying period, then rotating them individually about their respective axes through a predetermined angle corresponding to the desired spacirig of the stripes, and

then again advancing em longitudinally while ap lying a second stripe in desired spaced re ation to said first stripe.

18. In combination, pencil coating means, means for feeding pencils to said coating means in succession and alon a path, a drum for transporting said pencilsfiaterally of said path said drum comprising a plurality of parallel pencil-receiving grooves movable successively into alinement with said path, and a belt around said drum for retaining pencils in said grooves.

. 19. In combination, pencil coating means, means for feeding pencils to said coating means in succession and along a path, a drum for transporting said pencils laterally of said path, said drum comprising a plurality of parallel pencil-receiving grooves movable successively into alinement with said path, and a belt around said drum for retaining pencils in said grooves, said belt being eccentrio with respect to said drum and moved thereby.

20. In the pencil coating art, the method which comprises applying a coating from end to end of a pencil during movement thereof along a path, moving said pencil laterally of said path to dry said coating, and a plying another coating from end to end 0% said pencil during movement thereof along another path.

21. In the pencil coating art, the method which comprises applying a coating from end to end of a pencil durin movement thereof along a path, moving said pencil laterally of said path to dry said coating, and applying another coating from end to end of said pencil during movement thereof along another path alined with said first named path.

22. In the pencil coating art, the method which comprises applying a coating from end to end of a pencil during movement thereof along a path, moving said pencil laterally of said path to dry said coating, and moving said pencil under the control of a following pencil along another path alined with said first named path.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

FREDERICK LEIBOLD. LEONARD R. GILLILAND. 

